MINISTER'S VIEW:MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has reiterated his support for Taoiseach Brian Cowen but said Fianna Fáil needed to work harder to "match the mood of the people".
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Millennium Development Goals summit in New York, Mr Martin again said lessons had to be learned from events at the Fianna Fáil think-in and Mr Cowen’s radio interview.
“It’s important when an event like that happens that one takes stock and reflects on it,” Mr Martin said. “How can we organise things better, but also whatever we can do to match the mood of the people – where people are now. We are in a different situation today than when these party annual gatherings started 10 years ago,” he added.
“There are a lot of people out there unemployed, and a lot of people out there uncertain about their future,” Mr Martin continued. “And who are anxious for reassurance. As a party and as a Government, and I mean this collectively, everything we do must resonate with that mood, match that sense of concern . . . We must show people that we are on the pathway to recovery.”
Mr Martin said Mr Cowen would lead Fianna Fáil until the next election and suggested every member of the Fianna Fáil front bench had ambitions to lead the party one day. “There is not a member of the Fianna Fáil front bench who would not like to be leader of Fianna Fáil,” he said.
“But it’s not about individuals or personalities. It’s about the country. It’s about charting a way forward . . .”
Asked whether he harboured an ambition to serve as taoiseach, Mr Martin replied: “Come back to me in 10 years time.” Asked whether he believed Fianna Fáil needed to discuss the leadership issue as a parliamentary party, he said: “The key issue is to support the Taoiseach and the Minister of Finance in the very significant challenges that are facing us. That’s the overall imperative.”
He said there would be a meeting of the parliamentary party “in the normal course of events next week”. “That presents an opportunity for people to articulate their views and air any issues they have. The focus clearly has to be on the challenges facing us.”
Mr Martin said people were “not that concerned about politicians’ personalities. They want to see that there’s a way forward for them . . . that there’s hope for their children and for the future.”